NZ hold aces after Styris double

Pakistan's new openers for this series, Salman ButtSalman Butt and Khalid Latif, gave their team a solid start while ensuring preservation of resources, but with the asking-rate climbing over seven at the half-way stage of the chase of 304, the game was tilted marginally in New Zealand's favour. A brace of quick wickets could swing the match New Zealand's way, but if Butt and Younis KhanYounis Khan continue the steady accumulation, the situation will be ripe for the likes of Shahid AfridiShahid Afridi to work his magic.

Pakistan's selectors did away with the fiery Champions Trophy opening combination of Imran NazirImran Nazir and Kamran AkmalKamran Akmal, preferring to go for stability instead, and that's what they got today. Butt and Nazir took few risks, scoring only 12 off the first four overs, despite an asking-rate of more than six from the start. They saw off the threat posed by Shane BondShane Bond, and even scored 22 off his opening spell, while taking boundaries off the others. Butt began by punching Kyle MillsKyle Mills through point for four and thereafter Pakistan hit a four in every over between the fourth and the tenth.

Despite the frequency with which they found the boundary, Butt and Latif were unable to score rapidly, primarily because of New Zealand's excellent in-fielding, which prevented the singles that were so easily available when Pakistan were bowling. Pakistan scored 47 off the first 10 overs and the pressure built slowly as Jacob OramJacob Oram conceded only four runs from his first two overs after the mandatory Powerplay

The temporary decrease in the run-rate nearly caused a run-out in the 13th over, but Latif soon released the pressure by glancing Tim SoutheeTim Southee for four and lofting Oram over mid-off. Latif was the most fluent batsman but his innings was cut short by Daniel Vettori, who brought himself on in the 17th over and struck immediately, trapping the opener lbw with an arm ball.

Latif's dismissal brought Younis to the crease and he too played risk-free cricket. Together with Butt, he focused on picking off the singles and the twos to take Pakistan within striking distance of the target. Butt reached his half-century off the last ball of the 25th over, sweeping Vettori to fine leg.

50 overs New Zealand 303 for 8 (McCullum 131, Guptill 62) v Pakistan

Brendon McCullum, it is fair to say, hasn't had the best year, or in fact the best time of it since he launched the IPL into orbit two years ago. Expectation has generally overtaken him, he has been dropped as vice-captain and questions about his suitability to opening have been asked. But an immaculately constructed 131 led New Zealand to 303 for 8 at the Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi, and gave them a serious chance to level the series.

Momentum changed several times over the innings, but McCullum stood through it all, commandeering what may have been the decisive shift, for his first hundred since June 2008. Importantly, it was his first against serious opposition. The innings was everything his many, unfulfilled contributions haven't been. The early harassing - the shimmies down the tracks, the moving around - and the boundaries were there. But it wasn't until Martin Guptill arrived, that McCullum really settled in.

Guptill didn't come in blazing, instead simply implementing the time-honoured truism that the easiest singles in international cricket are found in Pakistan's 30-yard circle. It was selfless stuff, for the real beneficiary was McCullum, Guptill's harrying allowing him to pick up the pace. Umar GulUmar Gul, until then bowling with some rhythm and sense, was driven and cut, though mostly the violence was reserved for Abdul Razzaq, who, had he been actually handing out chocolates, could not have been friendlier: a short ball was fiercely pulled over square leg, before he was cut just as hard. A length ball was also pulled and McCullum, soon, was celebrating a fifty.

Guptill had, until then, been charming company. Spin threatened circumspection but not for long as Guptill danced down to loft Ajmal for six in the 20th over. McCullum, ever more confident, coolly deposited Afridi for six over midwicket and within a trice, the century stand was up. By then Guptill had decided that boundaries were more value in the heat: twice more he glided down the track to loft the spinners, once to bring up his fifty. But in a sense, McCullum's real work began after a needless slog from Guptill began a mini-collapse, at the end of which three wickets had gone for not much, and Pakistan were sniffing. As in the first game, New Zealand's huff was running out at the halfway mark. McCullum now needed to shepherd. His captain helped, for so obdurately does Daniel VettoriDaniel Vettori stick around that he could be the crease's chalk: he gave McCullum key support in a fifty-run partnership which stemmed the collapse and stealthily stole momentum back.

McCullum reined himself in, with more sense than many might have thought him capable of. The singles he kept picking and neither did he let go of his basic intent. Afridi was swept and a brace of drives, off pace and spin alike, were sudden, sharp reminders to Pakistan of his strength. As further wickets fell - the threat of wickets in Pakistan's attack just as sudden and sharp -and he neared his hundred, the significance of the Powerplay grew.

When it came, so too arrived the McCullum of that IPL knock. The century had come a couple of overs earlier and now the gloves were off. The McPaddle - cricket's shot du jour before Dilshan's scoop - had a second coming as both Gul and Aamer suffered. He later flicked a six off his hips so pure, it made you wonder why he would try such contrived shots. No end is well-timed but this was close, coming in the last over of the Powerplay, against Gul, ODI bowling's grim reaper, so good is he at the death.

Jacob Oram stole handy runs and, on McCullum's broad back, New Zealand now had their best chance to win their first ODI against Pakistan in the UAE.